The PSA Guggenheim Partners and EquiTrust Life Insurance Company Windy City Open has become the largest World Series professional squash event to offer prize money parity with purses of $150, 000 for both the men’s and women’s draws.

Chicago’s flagship tournament builds on the momentum of the Delaware Investments U.S. Open, which became the first World Series event to offer prize money parity with $115, 000 purses in 2013 and again in 2014. In 2015, all three U.S.-based World Series events—the Tournament of Champions, Windy City Open, and U.S. Open—have offered, or will offer prize money parity.

“The Guggenheim Windy City Open’s decision to offer parity in prize money, and at the highest amount ever, is such a welcome shift in the sport, ” said Kevin Klipstein, President & CEO of US Squash. “All three American World Series events have raised the bar for the rest of the world to now clear. The women’s game has proven as or more entertaining than the men’s, and with more female athletes now being afforded the opportunity to compete on a full-time basis, this will inevitably inspire even more girls to take up the sport.”

Bedford, New York-native Chris Hanson makes his Windy City Open and World Series main draw debut as the men’s wild card, while Wilton, Connecticut’s Olivia Blatchford takes on world No. 1 Nicol David as the women’s wild card.